The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics

1625 Pages·2007·4 MB·English

by  Martha Stewart Living Magazine

contents
TITLE PAGE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
PANTRY
EQUIPMENT
MENUS
STARTERS
SOUPS AND STEWS
SALADS
SANDWICHES AND SAVORY PIES
PASTA, RICE, AND GRAINS
MEAT
POULTRY
FISH AND SHELLFISH
MEATLESS MAIN DISHES
SIDE DISHES
FRUIT DESSERTS
FROZEN DESSERTS
CUSTARDS AND PUDDINGS
PIES AND TARTS
CAKES
PASTRIES
COOKIES AND CANDY
BREADS
BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH
DRINKS
SALSAS, SAUCES, DIPS, AND MORE
BASICS
FOOD SOURCES
EQUIPMENT SOURCES
DIRECTORY
COPYRIGHT
acknowledgments
THE RECIPES IN THIS book represent the creativity and extraordinary talents
of the many food editors, recipe developers, and testers who worked in the
Martha Stewart Living kitchens, largely under the direction of Susan Spungen
and Frances Boswell, from the magazine’s first issue in 1990 through 2000. I
remain grateful to each of them for having created such a remarkable and
timeless body of work.
For updating this book, I’d like thank Amy Conway and Ellen Morrissey, who
thought up ways to make the original edition even more useful, and Evelyn
Battaglia for her culinary and editorial knowledge as she implemented those
changes impeccably. Under the expert guidance of William van Roden, Amber
Blakesley designed a stunning cover, and Mary Jane Callister and Matt Papa
made sure the recipes are easy to read and use.
Current food editors Jennifer Aaronson and Sarah Carey, two invaluable
members of Lucinda Scala Quinn’s talented team, lent their considerable
expertise. Robb Riedel and Denise Clappi kept the project on track along the
way, and Emily Burns and Lori Key took care of countless details.
Heartfelt thanks also to the photographers whose work appears in this book,
along with our photo archive manager, Alison Vanek Devine, and the photo
editors, art directors, and stylists who collaborated in the creation of the images.
As always, our executive team of Gael Towey, Lauren Podlach Stanich,
Margaret Roach, and Eric A. Pike lent valuable support to the project. And
thanks to our colleagues at Clarkson Potter: Jenny Frost, Lauren Shakely, Doris
Cooper, Jane Treuhaft, Amy Boorstein, Mark McCauslin, and Derek Gullino.
introduction
When The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook was published several years ago, I
was so gratified by the response of our many longtime readers. They let us know
how delighted they were to have well over a thousand recipes from Martha
Stewart Living magazine’s first ten years in a single convenient volume. (I know
I reach for it all the time.) And new readers were happy to have a cookbook with
such depth and breadth. When we started talking about revising this book, the
question we asked ourselves was how to make a good thing even better. The
answer: Make it more useful and inspiring for today’s cooks. So in this updated
edition, you’ll find beautiful new color images of some of our favorite dishes.
And throughout, there are informative sidebars and how-to photographs to walk
you through essential culinary techniques, such as trimming an artichoke and
poaching salmon, step-by-step. (If you’ve never made pizza from scratch, don’t
wait any longer. See Sandwiches and Savory Pies.) To reflect the continuing
evolution in the world of food, we’ve also updated the Pantry and Equipment
sections of the book. And because so many people—myself included—are more
interested than ever in a healthful diet, we have included nutritional analyses for
what we call our “Fit to Eat” recipes, making it easier for you to plan wholesome
meals for yourself and your family. While you’re planning, don’t forget to see
our new menu section, too, in which we’ve suggested combinations of recipes
that make up great meals. I think you’ll find this especially helpful when you’re
entertaining, but there are quick and easy meals for any day of the week as well.
By the way, we didn’t cut a single recipe from the original edition to make room
for all of this—we didn’t want anyone to miss a favorite.
P.S. The exceptionally talented food editors at Martha Stewart Living are always
coming up with excellent new recipes—you might want to save space on your
shelf for another book: The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook—The New
Classics. It contains more than a thousand recipes published in the magazine
between 2001 and 2007.
pantry
STAPLES
ANCHOVIES These tiny salt-cured fish are a staple of the cuisines of France,
Spain, and Italy, where they are used to impart depth of flavor to sauces, such as
salsa verde and bagna cauda, as well as to many meat, poultry, and vegetable
dishes. When possible, buy anchovies that are salt-packed and sold in jars rather
than those packed in oil and sold in tins. To tame their saltiness, rinse anchovies
briefly under cold running water before using. Avoid overcooking, or cooking in
oil that is too hot, as they will fry and harden instead of dissolving; mashing
them first helps them blend quickly. Keep unopened tins at room temperature;
once opened, transfer the fillets to an airtight container, cover with oil, and
refrigerate for up to a month. Salt-packed anchovies have a much longer shelf
life, and will keep for up to a year at room temperature (even after opening).
BEANS Black beans, cannellini beans, and chickpeas are versatile—add them
to salads or combine them with rice or pasta for hearty side dishes or meatless
main courses. Before using, rinse canned beans under cold running water and
allow them to drain thoroughly. Once opened, transfer beans to an airtight
container and refrigerate for up to a week.
CANNED MILK (EVAPORATED MILK AND SWEETENED
CONDENSED MILK) Both products are made by removing about half the
water from fresh milk, but sweetened condensed milk has sugar added while
evaporated milk does not. They are not interchangeable. Evaporated milk lends
creaminess to sauces and desserts; it can be mixed with an equal amount of
water and used in place of fresh milk in a pinch. Sweetened condensed milk has
a very sweet, distinctive flavor, and is used in pies, candies, and other desserts; it
is the only milk used in dulce de leche, a creamy Spanish sauce with a caramel
flavor, and one of three milks in Pastel Tres Leches, a classic Mexican cake.
Canned milk can be kept in the pantry for months; once opened, the milk should
be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within several days.
CANNED TOMATOES You can find tomatoes in many forms (diced, crushed,
seasoned, and so on), but whole tomatoes (in juice, not puree) are the most
versatile. The tomatoes will break down over long, slow cooking, making them
ideal for stews, braises, and meat sauces. They can also be cut with kitchen
scissors or crushed with your hands for use in quick-cooking sauces and dishes
or pureed for a smooth consistency (instead of using canned tomato sauce).
CANNED TUNA Oil-packed tuna from Italy, particularly Sicily, has the best
flavor. The cans will keep, unopened, for up to a year; after opening, transfer the
tuna to a tightly sealed container and use within a few days.
CAPERS Capers are the salt-processed, unopened flower buds of a trailing
shrub that thrives in the arid climate along the shores of the Mediterranean.
Tangy and pungent, with a slight astringency, capers are an essential ingredient
in many well-known dishes such as caponata, pasta puttanesca, and salad
Niçoise, as well as classic sauces such as rémoulade. Nonpareils, the tiniest
capers, are the most expensive but have the most delicate flavor. Capers are
either packed in brine or salt; since they are rinsed and drained before using, the
salt-packed type actually have a less salty taste. Capers keep indefinitely in
unopened jars. Once opened, they are best used within a year; refrigerate brine-
packed capers and keep salt-packed capers at room temperature (in a well-sealed
jar).
CHUTNEYS Chutneys, a broad category of relishes with roots in India, often
have a chunky texture and can be made with chiles, herbs, spices, fruits, and
vegetables (mango is the most widely known, but tomato, cranberry, and others
are also common). Pair them with grilled meats or cheeses, add to chicken salad,
or blend with mayonnaise for a flavorful sandwich spread. Chutneys should be
refrigerated and used within a few months after opening.
COCONUT MILK Canned coconut milk, made from coconut meat that is
steeped in boiling water and then strained to form a creamy liquid, is widely
used in Eastern and Caribbean cooking. It should not be confused with coconut
cream, which is made the same way but with less water, or with sweetened
cream of coconut, generally used to make blended cocktails. Before opening,
shake the can to mix the coconut milk thoroughly. Unopened cans will keep for
up to eighteen months; transfer the contents of opened cans to an airtight
container and refrigerate for up to a week.
COUSCOUS A staple of North African cuisine, couscous is a tiny pasta made
from hard-wheat flour (durum) or precooked semolina. The larger pearls of
Israeli couscous are lightly oven-dried, giving them a faintly golden color and
toasted flavor (it is often labeled “toasted”). The large pearls also have a more
toothsome texture. Keep couscous in the original container until opened, then
store it in an airtight container for up to a year.
DIJON MUSTARD Dijon is a general term for a French-style mustard, which is
prized for its clean, sharp flavor. It’s made from brown or black mustard seeds,
white wine, must (unfermented grape juice), and seasonings. It can be used on
sandwiches and in sauces, vinaigrettes, and other salad dressings.